U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

49–012 2006

109th Congress, 2d Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 109–86 

REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY DESIGNATION FOR FY 

2006 BUDGET AMENDMENTS 

COMMUNICATION 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

REQUEST FOR AN EMERGENCY DESIGNATION FOR FY 2006 BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

JANUARY 31, 2006.—Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 

ordered to be printed 


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THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, January 28, 2006. 

Hon. J. DENNIS HASTERT, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. SPEAKER: My Administration is committed to ensuring 

that our Nation’s veterans continue to receive timely and highquality health care. 

On July 14, 2005, I submitted an FY 2006 budget amendment to 

the Congress of $1.977 billion to cover increased costs in the Department of Veterans Affairs medical care system. I did not designate the funds as an emergency requirement when I submitted 

the FY 2006 budget amendment. While I believe this funding 

should be categorized as part of the VA’s base budget, it is critical 

that this funding be made available to meet veterans’ needs. As a 

result, to provide the needed funds to veterans in a timely manner 

and consistent with the 2006 Military Quality of Life and Veterans 

Affairs Appropriations Act, Public Law 109–114, I hereby revise 

that request to designate $1.225 billion of the amount proposed in 

that amendment as an emergency requirement. I appreciate your 

cooperation in working with me to ensure the highest quality of 

care for our veterans. 

Additional information on this action is set forth in the enclosed 

letter from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 

The details of the FY 2006 amendment were included in the previous transmittal. 

Sincerely, 

GEORGE W. BUSH. 


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[Estimate No. 1, 109th Cong., 2d Sess.] 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, 

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, 

Washington, DC, January 24, 2006. 

The PRESIDENT, The White House. 

You originally requested an FY 2006 budget amendment of 

$1.977 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on July 

14, 2005. Submitted for your consideration is a letter to the Congress that designates $1.225 billion of this amount as an emergency requirement for VA’s medical care budget. 

Last summer, VA determined that due to unanticipated growth 

in the number of patients using the VA health care system and the 

increased cost per patient of providing this care, the FY 2005 enacted budget and FY 2006 request included insufficient funding. 

On June 30, 2005, and July 14, 2005, respectively, you submitted 

to the Congress a supplemental request to address FY 2005 needs 

and a budget amendment for FY 2006 totaling $2.952 billion. Congress provided the entire amount over the two year period, but 

shifted $525 million of the amended FY 2006 request into FY 2005 

supplemental funding. 

You did not initially request that the funds be designated as an 

emergency requirement, because they will finance the base operations of the Department. However, when Congress passed the 

2006 Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations 

Act, Public Law 109–114, it included the funds requested, but designated $1.225 billion as an emergency requirement ‘‘available only 

if an official budget request is transmitted by the President to the 

Congress that revises the President’s budget amendment of July 

14, 2005, to designate the entire $1,225,000,000 as an emergency 

requirement.’’ With this requirement in law, the funds will not be 

available—and veterans medical care would have to be curtailed—

unless you transmit this request to the Congress. To avoid a disruption in VA’s provision of care to veterans, we recommend you 

designate this funding as an emergency requirement. 

Your 2007 Budget will not treat these funds as if they carried 

the emergency designation, because it is more accurate to classify 

this funding as part of the VA base budget. This category change 

will not affect the availability of these funds. 


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I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied that it 

is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs in recommending that you transmit 

this request, which revises your July 14, 2005, budget amendment 

to designate $1.225 billion of the amount as an emergency requirement. No further congressional action is required. 

Sincerely, 

JOSHUA B. BOLTEN, Director. 

Æ 


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